Coming off opening win, 3 foes await IU

Fresh off his 22nd-straight opening day win at home, IU coach Bob Morgan will travel with the baseball team to Millington, Tenn., to the Service Academics Classic to play three games in three days. \nThe team faces Indiana State at 1 p.m. today, Memphis at 4 p.m. Saturday and Navy at 9 a.m. Sunday.\nIU junior first baseman Ryan Parker hopes to keep his hot bat from the Hoosiers' home opener where he went three-for-three with two RBIs against DePauw. \n"This weekend there will be some stiff competition," Parker said. "There is plenty of good pitching and some quality teams at large." \nLast year's inclement weather forced IU and Indiana State to cancel playing each other for the first time since 1987. The overall advantage in games favors IU 38-32. Under head coach Bob Warn, the Sycamores have four seniors on their 2005 squad and are led by left fielder Rance Fosdick. Last year's young squad has gained experience as it moves into the 2005 season with six starting sophomores including three position players and two pitchers. ISU is looking to rebound off a dismal 20-37 2004 season, marking only the seventh time in 30 seasons under Warn that the Sycamores have finished below .500. \nThe Hoosiers then take on Memphis for the first time in school history. The Tigers are led by first-year coach Daron Schoenrock, and with three weekend starters from the pitching staff gone, Schoenrock said the season cannot be measured by wins and losses. The infield will rely heavily on the leadership of junior third baseman Bill Moses while drawing most of its strength from the two returning outfielders Chad House and Jordan Hart. \nIU has a short but exciting history against Navy. Last year in the Classic, senior Corby Heckman drove in the winning run in the 11th inning to put the Hoosiers up 5-4 and 2-0 in the overall series. Senior shortstop Matt Lukevics leads Navy, which looks to end the Hoosiers' brief dominance.\nIn the season opener, IU's pitching staff combined for 14 strikeouts in nine innings and allowed only four hits. New contributor junior Adam Poole pitched the first two innings surrendering only one hit and striking out three of the seven batters he faced. Junior Zach Boswell, freshman catcher Jon Fixler and shortstop Tyler Cox made their first starts in cream and crimson. \nSenior Joe Kemp kept his hitting streak alive to eight with an RBI single in the home opener. Kemp brought the streak from 2004 where he was a force for the Hoosiers, completing seven homeruns, 16 doubles and a .317 batting average. \n"This weekend we will be playing at the Team USA field against some strong opponents," Morgan said. "Hopefully we will be able to win a few and we'll look forward to being able to play outside again." \n-- Contact Staff Writer Andrew Shaffer at asshaffe@indiana.edu.